


Prince of Tennis... and Flowers

by NoctIsFishing



Series: Noct Writes Taiora Week 2020 [3]
Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Prompt Fic, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26881162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoctIsFishing/pseuds/NoctIsFishing
Summary: Taichi is a curious cat when it comes to Sora's hobbies, and Sora decides to humor him. Mimato cameo. Written for Taiora Week 2020.(Day 03: Hobbies)
Relationships: Takenouchi Sora/Yagami Taichi | Tai Kamiya
Series: Noct Writes Taiora Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1958011
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Prince of Tennis... and Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't take the title seriously. <3
> 
> I hope you're all having a great week so far. Thank you for all the love for the fics I've posted so far. Hope they've been fun to read. :)
> 
> The music references were inspired by headcanons from my friends earlgreymon(skymont on here) and tangledupblue on Tumblr. Please check out their content!

_(tri. timeframe, high school year 2)_

On a late afternoon, Sora sat on a bench at the side of the school tennis court with a towel hanging over the top of her uniform for tennis practice. She was relaxed as she took intermittent sips from her water bottle as she waited for her mother to call the end of practice.

"Hey, look! it's Sora!"

"Sora? You're here late."

Sora turned around to see Yamato and Mimi standing on the other side of the chain-linked fence.

"Hey, guys," she said. "I was supposed to go home and prepare dinner. Taichi said that he wanted to come over and help, but…"

She turned around to face the tennis court again to see her mom on one side of the court shouting at the player on the other side - that player being Taichi, who was in his gym shorts and loose muscle shirt.

"...can't prepare dinner if no one else is there to eat it.

"He's _that_ into it, huh?" Yamato asked.

Sora saw Taichi catch sight of Yamato, and he raised the tennis racket high above his head as a greeting.

"Taichi!" Sora's mom yelled, making Taichi flinch and turn around to return to focus.

Sora, Yamato, and Mimi laughed quietly in their corner.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Sora explained. "It wasn't that hard of a transition for me from playing soccer."

Sora wasn't sure how it happened, but she tried to explain it to Yamato and Mimi in the best way that she could. One day, she and her boyfriend Taichi were talking about soccer and their individual hobbies; the next day, he was jogging alongside her at the start of her tennis practice with her mom coaching them for the day.

"So, he wants to try out all of the things that you like to do?" Mimi asked after her explanation. "That's so cute!"

"Yeah. I've gotta admit - it's been pretty funny to watch him try."

Sora's mom blew the whistle, and Taichi lowered his arms letting the tennis racket swing toward the ground. As he headed to where Sora sat, Yamato let out a snort of laughter, and Mimi gasped.

"You even got him to wear your visor," he said. "I'm not going to let him live that down."

"Be nice!" Sora warned, although she thought that seeing her white visor over Taichi's big and fluffy brown hair was as funny as Yamato did. She stood up from the bench and held out Taichi's towel and water bottle by the time he got to her.

"Aww, just for me?" Taichi asked her. "Aren't you sweet?"

Sora smiled at him as they stood face-to-face. She had already had a chance to cool down a little from practice, but being close to him, she felt the heat emanating from him after he moved around the court. There was more that she wanted to say, but she knew that Yamato and Mimi were still standing on one side, watching intently; and although she was far away, her mother was staring them down.

"Listen," Taichi added in a softer voice for only her to hear. "Tonight's probably not a good night for me to come over. I'll just walk home with Yamato."

"Ha! Was Mom giving you bad vibes or something?"

"...Kinda."

Taichi chuckled nervously, but Sora frowned.

"Sora!" her Mom shouted.

"Alright then," said Sora, letting the troubling thought rest for the night. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow? At _'One OK Rock'_?"

Part of their hobby swap was listening to each other's music, which had been a 'hit or miss' depending on the music they shared with each other.

Taichi laughed at her reference of his favorite band. "I'll get you to listen to the acoustic versions of their music. I think you might like those better. You liked _OneRepublic_ , right?"

"I did. I'm surprised you even liked _Norah Jones_ and _Dido_."

"Why wouldn't I? They remind me of you."

Sora went in for a tight hug, and she felt Taichi's arms around her back as he gave her a squeeze. She loved that he gave her the best hugs.

Then silence fell between the two of them when they pulled apart. They stared at each other, but Sora broke the gaze first, feeling herself blush. She felt too self-conscious with other people watching them, especially her mother.

"Love the new look," Sora heard Yamato tease as she walked away.

* * *

Taichi was over at the Takenouchi residence the next afternoon, sitting next to Sora on the floor in front of a flat, round container, with flowers and branches neatly laid out on either side.

Sora sat on her knees while Taichi sat with his legs crossed to watch her. She had given him half an hour of attempting ikebana with her guidance until she grew impatient from bickering with him over how he was handling the pieces. As many times as she told him to be gentle, he still ended up with a few bandages around his fingers.

Silence had fallen between them as she began to concentrate on choosing the right long branch from the small stack she and her mother had picked out earlier that morning. After running her hand on each one and observing each branching having a variation of sprouted leaves, she chose the one that she felt was right, and gently extended its branches before setting it in the container.

"You make this look so easy, Sora," Taichi quipped.

"It's not as easy as it looks," she fretted. "I've been practicing this for a few years now, and I still don't feel like I'm getting it right."

"But it's something you like doing, right?"

Sora smiled. "I do now. I used to hate it, but that was before I resolved things with my mom. Now I like it because I get to do it with her."

It was likely because her mom was out shopping that Taichi said it so freely:

"I don't think your mom likes me."

But Sora expected him to say that and knew he had been ready to vent about it, so she continued to place another leafy branch. "What makes you say that?"

"Did you see how harsh she was with me at tennis yesterday? I've never had a coach so strict."

"You've probably never had to deal with your girlfriend's mother as a coach, either."

"It's like she doesn't approve of me, or something."

"Now, that's ridiculous." Sora had to laugh while she turned to choose the bloomed flowers. "Mom's just strict when she teaches; that's why it seems like she might be hard on you."

She placed the flowers in between the branches in the container, but her face fell when she looked at the arrangement so far.

"She was really hard on me at first. That's why I pushed myself to train harder. But, I've learned that she just wanted me to do well, so I know where she's coming from. I think that goes for you, too, Taichi."

Turning her head to Taichi, she gave him a smile in hopes to reassure him.

"She could tell you were serious about tennis," she added. "If you weren't, she would've refused to help you."

"That makes sense." Taichi smiled back at her, and it brightened her own smile knowing that she made him feel better.

After a few minutes of silence, Sora had let go of the last stem and sat back from her flower display. The arrangement still didn't feel like her best work. She wondered if the branches needed to be spread out more or be rearranged, and what her mother would think of it when she returned home.

"Wow…" Taichi leaned closer towards her to look. "You really do have a talent for this, Sora."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, this looks awesome!"

She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear which might have looked red from the heat on her face. "Thanks, Taichi."

"Say, since I obviously suck at this, maybe you should teach me another hobby instead."

She shot a look at him. "Like what?"

"I dunno. Sewing?"

"No."

Taichi grimaced. "That was quick."

"You want to try to handle a needle when you don't have the patience to handle the thorns on these branches? You're only going to suffer with more pricks on your fingers."

"Really, Sora? I've gotten bruises and broken some bones playing soccer, and you're worried about my hands?"

She adjusted her sitting position to face him as she kneeled, and she held his hands in hers while she looked over the bandages on his fingers.

"You really need to be more careful, Taichi."

Taichi placed his rough hand over hers with his other one underneath, causing Sora to hold her breath.

"You don't have to worry about me so much. You know that, right?"

Her eyes meeting his made Sora lose what she meant to say next. He had a soft smile on his lips, but he stared at her with the same sense of waiting as he had the late afternoon before.

She couldn't wait either. Slowly, she leaned forward, and noticed that he was doing the same toward her. They had only kissed each other on the cheek twice, both times out of public view. Sora was always self-conscious when everyone else was watching.

But in that moment, it was just the two of them, and they inched closer together, and Sora anticipated finally closing that gap…

The noise against the front door caused both of their heads to turn toward it.

"Oh…" Sora said with an exhale, crestfallen by the interruption. With her face flushed and her heart rapidly beating, she returned to her kneeling position before the _ikebana_ , and she saw Taichi from the corner of her eyes return to his crossed legs, blushing all the same.

"I'm home!" Sora's mom called.

"Welcome back," Sora replied. "How was shopping?"

"I've bought some more vegetables for the week. I've got a great idea for dinner tonight. You're welcome to join us for dinner, Taichi, if you don't have plans."

"I'll be happy to," Taichi said, and Sora noticed that he looked especially cheerful. "I guess I can help you and Sora like I was meant to yesterday."

"Ah, yes. Thanks to having us work on your poor form."

"Y-yeah…" Taichi's face showed a hint of horror.

"You've got the fancy footwork, Taichi, but it's your stances when you swing the racket that needs more work."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Mom, please go easy on him," Sora chimed in, feeling pity for Taichi. "He's just starting out."

But as her mom set the bags of vegetables on the counter, she paused as she looked in Sora's direction.

"Did you do that, Sora?" she asked, staring curiously.

"Oh…" Sora turned to her flower arrangement. "I did. I was showing Taichi how to do it."

"Well, you showed him well, dear. Just beautiful."

Sora beamed at her mother's compliment. "Thanks, Mom."

"Ah! I think I'll change out of these clothes after being out for most of the day. I'll be back to start preparing dinner."

"Okay."

Sora looked at her own flower display again, feeling silly for doubting herself. She reached over to brush her finger over a leaf on one of the branches when Taichi called her name and lightly nudged her arm with his elbow.

"Hmm?" She looked to meet his eyes again as he smiled at her.

"I agree with what she said, Sora. 'Just beautiful'."

Sora knew that it was more than the flowers Taichi was talking about.

When Sora leaned forward this time, she finally kissed his lips. She could tell that she startled him, and in a short moment of panic she realized her hands were at her sides and she didn't know where to move them.

But then he pushed against her slightly. Her hands made their way to either side of his cheeks, and she felt his hand on the side of her neck. She took in this new feeling of his lips against hers as they held each other, and she wanted to explore this even more.

"Sora," her mom called suddenly, causing both her and Taichi to jump and break their kiss.

"Y-yes, Mom?!" Sora called back in a tone higher than normal. She and Taichi had quickly jumped a few feet apart from each other, although her mom had yet to reappear.

"Can you and Taichi start chopping up the onions and the leeks?"

"Okay!"

Sora stood up first, then she helped Taichi up as he shook his legs from being numb. Not wanting to risk another interruption, Sora and Taichi laughed together as they held each others' hands before heading toward the kitchen. He offered to slice the onions which she accepted, knowing that unlike with her other hobbies, Sora could trust him to do at least that.

Well…

"Oops," Taichi said as he let an onion drop and roll on the kitchen floor.

**Author's Note:**

> Ultimately, this became a focus on Sora's hobbies since it's known that one of their shared hobbies is soccer. I thought it would be fun to see Taichi try her hobbies out. xD
> 
> Fun fact! The band "One OK Rock" got their name as a play on the time they used to have band rehearsals.
> 
> One OK Rock and Norah Jones are included on earlgreymon's playlists, while OneRepublic and Dido are included on tangledupblue's playlists.
> 
> Check back tomorrow for the next prompt - "Emblem". I made it angsty. ;)


End file.
